Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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107. To ask the Minister for Health if he will advise the now anticipated shortfall of non-consultant hospital doctors by hospital site as of 8 July; the specialist disciplines so affected by hospital site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30387/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE is actively managing the recruitment process for the next rotation of Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors in order to ensure that as many as possible are recruited and that all critical service needs are met. A number of separate recruitment processes are currently underway including:

- Filling by the Postgraduate Training Bodies of posts on training schemes;

- HSE Centralised Applications process;

- Local recruitment - which fills approximately 70% of service posts;

- External HSE funded initiatives, including a partnership arrangement with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan and recruitment in South Africa. These initiatives are focusing on key specialties including Emergency Medicine.

As the position evolves on a day-to-day basis it is not possible to indicate in respect of individual hospital sites what the position will be on the rotation date itself. Many hospitals report low numbers of anticipated vacancies and, where positions have not been filled by changeover date, the shortfall will be addressed through re-allocation of staff from other sites or the filling of critical posts by way of agency staffing. The disciplines in which recruitment difficulties are experienced are primarily Anaesthetics, General Medicine and Emergency Medicine at Registrar level, with some shortfall also possible in Paediatrics, Oncology and Haematology.